Nine All Blacks in Crusaders team to face Lions

The Crusaders have picked nine All Blacks in their matchday 23 to face the Lions in Christchurch on Saturday.
The Super Rugby leaders have named an All Blacks tight-five with Joe Moody, Owen Franks and Codie Taylor in the front row, Wyatt Crockett is named on the bench, and Sam Whitelock and Luke Romano in the engine room.
Israel Dagg, included in the 33-man New Zealand Test squad to face Samoa and the Lions announced on Thursday, will start at full-back.
Adding to the Crusaders’ depth is eight-Test flanker Matt Todd, who is on standby as injury cover for the Lions series, and winger Seta Tamanivalu, who missed the international cut this year.
Head coach Scott Robertson said: “This is a huge and exciting challenge for us. We are facing some of the best rugby players in the world, but we have some of the world’s best in this team too, so it will be a fantastic clash.
“No matter how it unfolds, this will be a game that the players involved will remember as one of the special moments in their careers.”
Crusaders: Israel Dagg; Seta Tamanivalu, Jack Goodhue, David Havili, George Bridge; Richie Mo’Unga, Bryn Hall; Joe Moody, Codie Taylor, Owen Franks; Luke Romano, Sam Whitelock (c); Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, Matt Todd, Jordan Taufua
Replacements: Ben Funnell, Wyatt Crockett, Michael Alaalatoa, Quinten Strange, Jed Brown, Mitchell Drummond, Mitchell Hunt, Tim Bateman